The gift of time to write. The gift of inspiration, and of experienced support. That is what we will have together at magical Lake Atitlán.
Re-Kindle Your Creativity during our writing retreat in the picturesque highlands of Guatemala. We’ll journey from the colonial-era town of Antigua to the majestic waters of Lake Atitlán, its shores dotted with traditional Mayan villages.
Once nestled into Casa del Mundo in Jaibalito, our work will begin. Perched on a secluded cliff and only assessible by boat, this stunning property is a source of inspiration and a sea of tranquility.
Working with Mary Jo McConahay
Mary Jo loves this part of the world and knows it well. She raised her daughter in Guatemala and has worked at writing from Mexico to Argentina. In all the hemisphere, she says, "Lake Atitlan has a unique spirit of place, perfect for drawing out feelings, narratives and ideas, and for working hard at the craft of writing them down."
Mary Jo is the author of Maya Roads, One Woman’s Journey Among the People of the Rainforest, winner of the prestigious Northern California Book Award for Best Creative Nonfiction, and named a Book of the Month by National Geographic Traveler Magazine. She was named the Lowell Thomas Travel Journalist of the Year, an award equivalent to the Pulitzer Prize in the genre. Her ebook, Ricochet, Two women war reporters and a friendship under fire, received rave reviews. Mary Jo's new book, Tango War, The Struggle for the Hearts, Minds, and Riches of Latin America during World War II is now available.
A full-time writer, Mary Jo has worked as a journalist for newspapers, environment, politics, personalities and women’s issues. Her magazine pieces have appeared in Vogue, Time, Newsweek, Rolling Stone, the Los Angeles Times Magazine and many others. She has worked as an editor, and teaches magazine writing at the University of California Extension in San Francisco. Her stories are featured in Best Women’s Travel Writing, and Best Travel Writing 2011, both from Travelers‘ Tales. Her coverage of the Guatemala genocide trial received the first place award for Best News Writing, International Event, from the Catholic Press Assn. of the United States and Canada.
What do you write? What do you want to write? Good travel stories? A memoir or a novel? Stories about food that tell us something about the world, or ourselves? Creative nonfiction? A legacy history for your family, and yourself? Is your aim to publish what you write?
If you already have pages you want to work on, you can send them to Mary Jo ahead of time, so we can hit the ground running. This will be a small group -- ideal for Mary Jo as facilitator to give individual attention to each writer. We will work on structure, and voice. Feedback and thoughtful critique are central to developing the craft. We can give that to each other too, in these days, as much or as little as each writer wants. Already have a book-length manuscript? Ask about advanced writers options.
Let the stirring landscape and colorful culture stimulate your senses and bring life to your written words.
Learn more about Mary Jo here.